I have to concur with those who say that this business gives customers the run-around about when their computer is going to be ready, and does not call with updates on the repair job. I dropped my HP Pavilion laptop computer off on February 28, 2011after it crashed and ceased turning on. I found Park Slope Computers on yelp.com and gave it a try because I'm new to Brooklyn and like to support local businesses. I also figured that a smaller shop would service the machine faster than Staples or the other big box stores, which ship the machines off to lord knows where to get serviced, and then ship them back, which can add weeks to the repair process.
More than two weeks in, I have yet to receive a definitive diagnosis on my computer, let alone a date on which it will be finished. When I first dropped it off on a Monday night, I was told it would be diagnosed by Tuesday or Wednesday. I called Wednesday and Thursday, and Saturday and was told that it had viruses and potentially hardware problems but was still being looked at. The next Tuesday, I was told that there were issues with the power supply, and it would be shipped off to some guy who deals with them, and be back by the next Tuesday or Thursday, at which time the hard drive would be re-partitioned. I called today (Tuesday) and was told that the power supply guy is still working on it and that there might be a problem with the motherboard, which is still being examined, and that I should call back later in the week. The costs quoted to me for the repair thus far are approaching $250, never mind what the ongoing diagnosis process might reveal, which when considering the cost of computers is quickly approaching the range of no longer worthwhile, not that anyone asked.
3/21/2011- I'm updating my review to reflect how everything worked out. Exactly three weeks to the day after dropping my computer off, one wasted trip to the store, and $340 I finally got my computer back.
Within two hours of submitting my original Yelp review I receive an e-mail from Edward stating that he read the review, is sorry that the shop did not do better with communication, that they're really busy, etc. The very next day I'm advised that my computer has arrived back from the power supply repair man, and I'm provided with a diagnostic list, price, and assured that it can be ready within one business day..
The specific repairs and prices ended up as follows: (1) the power adapter tip could be replaced at no charge, (2) a blown chipset on the motherboard could be replaced at no charge, (3) the intermittent A/C jack could be replaced for $195 and (4) the infection present on the hard drive and reconfigure/reinstallation of Windows would cost $135. The first two complementary services would ordinarily have cost around $120, but were essential to the shop being able to examine the system. I could either choose to have the repairs done, or take my machine back at no cost. As I'd already sunk 2.5 weeks into dealing with the shop, I agreed to have the repairs done. $340 seemed fair, given the extent of the repairs, but was the upper limit of what I was willing to pay to have a 3 year-old HP 9610us that cost about $900 brand new repaired.
Friday night 3/18 at 5:30pm I received a call from the shop stating that my computer was ready to be picked up. The next morning I received an email from Edward reiterating that the computer was ready to be picked up. I arrive at the shop 11:30am that Saturday only to find that after 3 attempts the computer will not boot. I leave empty-handed with assurances from the store attendant that it would be done by the end of the day (I live 10 subway stops on the A/F away from the shop). On my way home, I stopped and sent Edward an e-mail advising that the computer was not working, and that I expected it to be in working condition the next time I was told it is ready.
I received a response from Edward over the weekend apologizing for the computer not being ready. He initially stated that he'd personally checked the computer before contacting me, but later indicated that certain programs they'd attempted to install had not fully downloaded (which for me does not indicate that it was checked). On Monday 3/21 I received a call from that the computer was ready and that Edward would personally drive it over to my home that day. Edward in fact did drop it off at 7:30pm, and apologized for the delays, stated that they were busy, etc. Upon inspecting the machine to see that it was operational, I paid the $340, plus tax. The machine works, for the most part, about as well as it ever has.
So in short the work, once it was done, was satisfactory. But the hassle involved in actually GETTING the work done made doing business with Park Slope Computers significantly less than enjoyable. read more